There’s Nothing about Mary: The Insignificance of Mary in the Gospel of Thomas 114 Anna Cwikla
[email protected] ABSTRACT Feminist approaches to early Christian texts have consistently evaluated female characters as the primary focus of analysis. Yet in doing so, placing the spotlight on the female figure inevitably pushes male figures, and by extension, the broader context to the margins. This type of analysis runs the risk of overemphasizing the role of a woman in a given text while neglecting their narrative function in relation to male characters. This article looks specifically at Mary in the Gospel of Thomas. Previously, Mary has been seen as equal to or even more important than other disciples in the text. But using Eve Sedgwick’s homosocial bond theory reveals that the Gospel of Thomas wishes to emphasize the relationship between Jesus and Peter more so than it does Mary. This example is but a case in point in seeing that although our focus as modern scholars shifts to the woman, the ancient text is more so concerned about the iteration of power structures between men over women. KEYWORDS Gospel of Thomas, Mary Magdalene, Eve Sedgwick, feminist criticism recurring stumbling block for feminist scholars of early Christianity is that whenever we en- A counter a female character in a text, the surrounding narrative—imbued with strong patri- archal tendencies—overshadows any glimmer of potential prominence she might have.1 Relatedly, when we spot damsels in distress, we eagerly hope that Jesus or one of his fellow male protagonists will be a good ally and challenge the antagonists who are causing the strife.